Weekend Wrestling: Dragons third at 20-team tourney

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Evan Winters brought home an individual title at 138 pounds to highlight a strong performance by the Ste. Genevieve boys wrestling team on Friday night.

The Dragons finished third among 22 varsity teams at the St. Charles Tournament, bolstered by runner-up contenders Karter Worley and Ryan Schmelzle.

Winters pinned Boston Howard of Holt with nine seconds left in regulation to cap his 4-0 event record. He reached the final round by virtue of a grueling 12-9 decision.

Worley scored a winning fall and decision in three bouts at 106 pounds while Schmelzle pinned his first two opponents before suffering a 4-2 setback in the heavyweight title match.

Bryant Schwent (113) posted a 3-1 mark overall, including a 9-8 consolation win before earning a third-place fall near the conclusion of the first period.

Zachary Flieg (160), Ethan Ogden (170) and Dalton McBride (182) each placed fourth for Ste. Genevieve. Jacob Schweigert took third as a second entry in the 285-pound division.

Poplar Bluff compiled 208 ½ points to edge Holt by 12 for the team championship.

Tiger Pride Battle

WILLARD, Mo. – Farmington wrestlers Dayton Boyd and Blake Cook topped the podium as champions of their weight divisions Saturday at the Tiger Pride Battle.

Runner-up results from freshman Presley Johnson and senior Drew Felker helped the Knights rank fifth among nine varsity programs at the one-day tournament.

Helias edged Mid-Buchanan by a 220 ½-216 margin for top team honors while host Willard took third.

Boyd was dominant at 113 pounds, pinning his first four opponents in the first period before sealing his title with a 9-0 major decision. He improved to 28-2 on the season.

Cook (132) found similar success in five total matches, starting off with three consecutive falls. His 16-0 technical fall in the semifinal set up a clinching 12-3 major decision.

Johnson (120) was part of a four-person, round-robin format, and suffered his only losses against Tanner Cowan of Bentonville (Ark.) while earning three wins.

Felker notched his third victory of the day at 152 pounds in a narrow 2-1 decision, and was defeated by Wyatt Forck of Helias 6-1 in the championship round.

Nate Schnur (138) and Kyler Aders (145) controlled their third-place contests, and Zach Dennis finished fourth at 126 pounds for Farmington.

Sullivan Scramble

SULLIVAN, Mo. – Austin Hassell prevailed in two contested bouts at 120 pounds by 16-0 technical fall and pin at 57 seconds as Central competed in the five-team Sullivan Scramble on Friday.

The Rebels were open at five weight classes, and suffered a losing sweep in four duals against Osage 48-23, Dexter 48-30, St. James 39-33 and Sullivan 62-12.

Hunter Settles (160) dropped his opening bout for Central before responding with three straight falls. Joshua Tesreau (138) and Hayden Carver (285) likewise scores pins over St. James opponents.

GIRLS WRESTLING

Sherri Lance Invitational

FENTON, Mo. – Central placed sixth out of 17 varsity girls wrestling teams on Friday night at the Sherri Lance Invitational hosted by Rockwood Summit.

Karlee LaChance placed second at 120 pounds with a 4-1 record for the Lady Rebels. She advanced with two falls and an 18-3 technical fall before dropping the title match to Kendra Bliss 32-1 of Washington.

Savannah Scheldberg (130) and Madison Young (105) each finished third out of five wrestlers in round-robin division competition.

Scheldberg went 3-1 and secured her third fall of the event at the 1:24 mark. Young evenly split four bouts, earning both of her wins by fall.

North County entered two athletes, and Belle White (110) finished runner-up by going 4-1 with four consecutive pins after a first-round defeat.

St. Charles Tournament

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Ste. Genevieve landed seventh among 20 girls teams while Francis Howell Central claimed top honors at the St. Charles Tournament on Friday night.

Senior star Izzy Basler (130) split her two matches to pace the Dragons as runner-up in her division, and moved to 14-4 overall this season.

Paityn Basler (110) had the next highest finish of fourth for Ste. Genevieve. She collected a pair of first-minute pins while going 2-2 overall.